Perdeby Tuks se amptelike studentekoerant / Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmušo ya Tuks
15April2013
UP “60-40” quota a misinterpretation
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Indie electro wunderkind all grown up
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year75issue09
The Hollow Body interview
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AmaTuks too hot for AmaZulu
P9 Tuks win Varsity Cup P12
Photo: Gallo Images
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Editorial
15 April ‘13
Perdeby
There was no chai
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Editorial Editor-In-Chief Carel Willemse
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Editor Margeaux Erasmus
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News Danielle Petterson
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Features Bernd Fischer
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Entertainment Lusanda Futshane entertainment@perdeby.co.za
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Congratulations to Tuks for winning the Varsity Cup for the second consecutive year. This was one of those moments where our publication schedule really irked me. Our front page with Tuks holding up the Varsity Cup trophy would really have made an amazing front cover if this paper was published last week Tuesday. But unfortunately we can’t always get what we want. I still decided to publish this photo on the
Web Nolwazi Mngadi
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Copy Jaco Kotze
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front page despite its being a week old. Last year, while I was news editor, we published a lot of articles about the SRC (that’s the Student Representative Council that has been replaced by the Temporary Student Committee until Student Parliament elections can be held, for those who don’t know. We explained the whole situation in an article a while ago. You can go find it on our website, if you’re curious) and their elections and even published a profile about the president. I assumed then that people knew who he was. This was in March, after all. But I think that students get lost in their own world sometimes because in October, two girls walked passed an SRC poster (which had also been around for a while by then) and said, “Hey we have a black SRC president – that’s great.” I was shocked. Not by their statement but because that news only reached them several months later, even though we’d been publishing comments from the same SRC president for the whole year. Those girls must have been living under a rock. But I digress. Remembering this has eased my conscience about the Varsity Cup front page. Partly because I’m sure that there are a few people who don’t know that we won and it’s our job as the media to inform the public. Partly because I’m really
glad that we won and I enjoy rubbing it in Maties’s face. A defeat on their home soil. That must have hurt. The only thing that would have made this victory sweeter for me would have been if TriBeCa didn’t run out of chai last week. Chai lattes, along with coffee, are the staple drink of the Perdeby team’s diet. Oh, and alcohol. How could I forget that? Pssst… is back on page 10 this week. The funny thing about Pssst… is that it’s probably one of the most controversial things we publish. People are often upset with us because of what is said in Pssst…, but when we don’t publish it we get complaints from people that it wasn’t included in that week’s paper. Damned if we do and damned if we don’t. We also asked the university about their quota system on page 3 and have an interview with The Hollow Body on page 9. There are other interesting things in this week’s paper as well – go have a look. What else are you going to do in those boring lectures? Until next week Margeaux
Letter to the editor Hello.
Sport Maxine Twaddle
From the editor
I am currently a student at Tuks. This is the first time I have written to a newspaper in reply to something. Since we are all sharing, I would like to make my opinion heard. My letter is in reply to the Letters to the Editor of 18 March and 8 April. To Marco, 18 March: Just to clarrify, I am a religious person. That said, I do understand and respect your opinion. You wrote that “this technology (IVF, AI and contraception) substitutes a fundamental pillar of the purpose of sex”. I strongly disagree with that statement. The element of having sex and having children are two very different things. An infertile couple won`t be able to conceive by just having sex. To have sex in a marraige is something wonderful and that in itself is a gift. To be
restricted from having children because of physical challenges is something we shall never trully understand but needs to be excepted. Does that mean a couple has to live through life without children? Well, I guese it depends on the perspective from which you are looking at. Would our Creator have given us the minds to develop such needed technology, if He did not want us to use what we have within? I do agree with your statement that children are a “ gift “. From my own expierences, I can assure you that gifts can come in very different packaging. After all, they do say He works in misterious ways. I too ask the question of “ why not rather adopt a child?” That I believe, no one can trully answer. Thinking about starting a family, actually welcoming an infant in to your home, educating
a child, trying to teach life lessons and loving them unconditionally is not something to do on your own. The insight of God is needed. I do hope you can appreciate where I am coming from. Dikgang, 8 April: You wrote that “ religious people should stop focusing on sex so much and get some”. I do not appreciate that comment in the least. Making a statement like that, including all religious people under one single idea, is a very dangerous and unfair thing to do. You might have noticed that I am a big supporter of the grey areas rather than just simple black or white. My kindest regards. E *Letter unedited
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News
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15 April ‘13
UP “60-40” quota a misinterpretation
MOLEBOGENG MANGOALE Students, campus political societies and the general public have alleged that UP applies a 60-40 quota that works to the disadvantage of non-white students. According to the university, these allegations are false. Dr Matete Madiba, the director of Student Affairs, said that people have a wrong interpretation of the quota system. “There is no quota at the university that states that in whatever context there has to be 60% representation of white people and 40% nonwhite [people at the university]. It is a huge misinterpretation of the university’s constitution and this is causing unnecessary conflict,” she said. According to chapter 4 of the Constitution for Student Governance at UP, at least 40% of the members elected for each of the faculties must be female and at least 40% must be male. This guideline also applies to racial quotas. There is no rule that strictly states that 60% of students must be white and 40% nonwhite. However, the 60-40 quota may abide in a situation whereby a minimum of 40% has been reached in a specific racial representation. Dr Madiba continued to say that last year’s Student Representative Council (SRC) was a good and clear representation of this guideline because it included both male and female students and met the minimum requirement of 40% in each race. Furthermore, the equality clause of chapter 2 of the constitution, which is the Bill of Students Rights, stipulates that “all students are entitled to equal treatment and protection as provided for in the regulations of the University of Pretoria”. AfriForum Youth UP chairperson Barend Taute and the DASO branch leader Mathew Cuthbert both agreed that the 60-40 quota exists. Both societies believe that it is unfair and that nothing
should be based on skin colour but rather on academic merit. Taute said, “We are not in favour of the 60-40 quota and it should be removed. As an institution, we must strive for equality.” Cuthbert said that there should be “no quotas at all” as this always results in the marginalisation of a certain group. “The university should be in consultation with political societies when it comes to such things,” he said. Phakamile Mohoto, the chairperson of COPE@Tuks, added that the quota does not represent the true demographics of South Africa as a whole and that it is mostly prevalent in the university’s residences. “Why is it that we have to conform to racial means of classification? Why must other people have the ‘upper’ hand in regards to this quota? Why is the university not being transparent when it comes to such issues?” he asked. According to the university’s 2011 policy for residence placement, the minimum quota for first-year black students is 43%. Prospective students with an APS of 33 and higher are placed in res on an ongoing basis from April/May of the previous year. First years are placed according to the quota system until the end of January, after which allocation is based on supply and demand. Academic merit is the determining factor for the placement and re-admission of senior students. A minimum average of 50% is needed to qualify for res but students with an average of 55% and higher are given preferance. Although seniors are placed on academic merit, there must be a minimum of 40% of either racial group. Dr Madiba said that the biggest misconception is that political societies and students are misinformed when it comes to the guiding principle of the quota. She advises everyone to read the Constitution of Student Governance. She continued to say that the Department of Student Affairs is working on improving communication with students through its website. “The logic
Wits SRC wants racial profiling investigation
MOLEBOGENG MANGOALE The Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) is demanding an investigation into racial profiling, violence against students, external security and a boycott of Israel. This follows a protest by student activists, in support of Palestine, against a scheduled performance of Israeli musician Yossi Reshef on 12 March. Pro-Israeli supporters, including Reshef and Wits University professor Zaidel Rudolph, retorted by calling the students “barbaric”, “hooligans” and “Muslim agitators”. The Wits SRC wants a full investigation into the matter and also a report on what ensued on 12 March. The SRC wants the university to launch an investigation into “incidents of physical violence and assault against Wits University students by organisers of the pro-Israeli event;
external security being used by the organisers of the proIsraeli event on their campus (in violation of Wits’ University practice and recommendation); the response by Wits University Management to student requests prior to the event as well as conduct of the Wits University Management to the actual protest and cancellation of the pro-Israeli event.” It is alleged that on the day of the concert, a black Muslim student, who had a valid ticket, was denied entry into the concert venue by pro-Israeli supporters. Moreover, students who protested inside the concert venue were “dragged on the ground, pushed against walls and sexually assaulted by the Israeli concert goers, their private security members as well as by one Wits University staff member,” a statement by the SRC revealed. According to the statement, they continued to hurl racial and verbal insults at the student protesters such as “you monkeys go back to the jungle”. The Wits SRC has demanded a full investigation into the organisers and concert-goers’ conduct and for assault charges to be laid with the police. Tasneem Essop, Wits SRC secretary general, said, “Rather than investigating the racism, violence and misconduct by the hosts of the Israeli concert at Wits, the Wits University Management has indicated that it wishes to punish the Wits students for their protest. This is regrettable as it chills Freedom of Expression. Wits University has an obligation to protect student rights to free speech, protest and others forms of expression. The Wits University also has the obligation to protect students from racist speech and violence.” The SRC insists that their university should not allow the Israeli embassy or its supporters to host events on their campus due to their disrespect and disregard of Wits’s practice and protocol. Image: www.joburg.org.za
behind this criteria is to ensure that representation is equitable and it doesn’t serve one group only. The playing field has to be equal,” she said. On 8 April, AfriForum held a media briefing in front of the Client Service Centre and made available the results of a referendum on racial profiling at UP. Dr Madiba and the deputy director of Student Affairs Dr Willem Jorissen were present. The referendum was regarding the question: “Should racial classification be used by UP?” Among the 2 033 students who were interviewed, 97% declared that they do not want to be racially classified. The memorandum, which was handed over to Dr Madiba, stated that the admission to faculties, especially the faculties of Health and Veterinary Sciences, should be granted only on and in order of merit. Prospective students should not have to indicate their race during the application process and race should not be used as a determining factor for the allocation of bursaries that are awarded directly by UP to students. It further stated that the quota for house committees should be changed from five quota members per committee to two in order to gradually free residences from racial profiling. Dr Madiba said that she will look into the findings of the referendum and further communicate these to management. Taute said, “The survey is positive confirmation that students are tired of being held back by the past. Students from all races want racial classification to be abolished and they want to be classified according to merit.” He also said that the university must stop being used by the ANC as a political playing field for implementing racial classifications at Tuks. Photos: Oan de Waal
Negotiations on residences’ food prices continue MARISSA BRITS The Temporary Student Committee (TSC) has been in continuous negotiations with TuksRes regarding food prices in residence’s cafeterias this year. This follows students approaching the TSC to express their concern over the changing food prices. According to TSC President Jordan Griffiths, the prices of approximately 20 items have been negotiated down and negotiations have been finalised. The university decreased the prices of both booked meals and item sales by 5% in May last year. The decrease followed the university’s rejection of the 2012 SRC’s proposed 16% decrease. Along with this decrease, a free glass of juice was given with every booked meal. Many students feel that this decrease was not sufficient. Ilana le Roux, a third-year BSc student and Zinnia resident, stated that “some of the products at the dining halls are more than double the price that you find at a grocery store and due to the fact that it is not always possible to go buy it elsewhere, you have to settle for paying so much.” Jarryd Webber, a second-year BEng student and resident of Taaibos, stated that “as an academic institution, I believe that Tuks should be providing students in residence with food as close to cost price as possible, but this is clearly not happening.” TuksRes stated that in order to provide the best quality service to students, the item sales prices only increase twice a year, regardless of supplier increase, and the prices of booked meals increase yearly. TuksRes also stated that they were aware of the fact that some of the larger stores such as Pick n Pay and Spar are cheaper than they are when it comes to item sales. However, they stated that this was due to lower negotiation powers and that the varsity is closed for approximately four months of the year, effectively shutting down business in the dining halls.
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News
15 April ‘13
Music student becomes Tuks’s first Idol
BOIPELO BOIKHUTSO Stuku hosted its first annual Idols competition in the Aula last Tuesday. Kenneth Mabela, a fourth-year BMus student, won the competition while Kirsten Dey was placed second and Zipho Tshapela came third. All ten finalists teamed up at the beginning of the evening to sing Black Eyed Peas’s “I Gotta Feeling” followed by Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls”. Colour Blind Politicians, a local band from the university, impressed the crowd. Tuks Idols was the first Stuku event in a series of five which they collectively named UP Arts. According to Stuku’s EC of Arts and Discipline Nthabiseng Nooe, Stuku started UP Arts to promote the involvement of all students in culture at the university. All students were allowed to enter the competition and auditions were free. The evening consisted of a variety of music genres including pop, soul, blues and rock. Mabela took home a R3 000 prize for his rendition of songs from John Legend, Chris Brown and Zahara, during which he played the piano. Before singing, he said, “Music is my life. There is no place I’d rather be than on stage.” Mabela is a part of the acapella group Blind Ensemble, which is made up of four blind students. Dey, a second-year BA own choice student, captivated the
crowd with her rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman”. She received R2 000 in prize money and Tshapela received R1 000. Neo Motaung, a second-year drama student, performed a mix of John Legend’s “So High” and Beyoncé’s “Halo”. Although she did not come in the top three, she received a standing ovation from the crowd. “At first I wanted to compete, but there is so much talent here so I am here to have fun and enjoy the given opportunity,” Patrick Manyathi, a finalist in the competition, said about his performance. The judges of the evening included Neo Mahlangu, a Blackberry Ambassador for Tuks; Shaney Saunders, Madelief’s Serenade HK; and former Stuku chairperson, Rudi Beste. The judges said that they were looking for confidence, energy and personality. Contestants were each given a score out of 100 based on the clarity of the lyrics, tempo and pitch. The winner, Mabela, won with 91.3%. The ten finalists will participate in a campus tour where they will stand a chance to win a mentorship and record a single with the Motswako rapper, Khuli Chana. Photos: Kobus Barnard
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15 April ‘13
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15 April ‘13
Features
Features
15 April ‘13
Drunkorexia: eating disorder or cultural trend?
STAFF REPORTER Despite its glamourous appeal (for those of you who aim to be model thin), drunkorexia is not
a healthy way to have a good time, even if it saves you some cash. Drunkorexia, as defined by Prof. Jacob Palme of Stockholm University, is the combination
of “not eating almost any food during the day (anorexia nervosa) with drinking a lot of alcoholic beverages during night-time partying (alcohol abuse)”. However, Kobus du Plooy, a clinical psychologist at UP Student Support, says that drunkorexia is only “a social term and not an official clinical diagnosis”. Although it is a new term and not a medical diagnosis yet, it has a connection with alcoholism and eating disorders. “[The] trend to be skinny and the fact that drug and alcohol use are socially acceptable are part of the problem,” says Dr Douglas Bunnell, the director of outpatient clinical services for the Renfrew Center in Philadelphia. Anorexia and drunkorexia are not exactly the same thing. Drunkorexics starve themselves to compensate for the calorie intake found in alcoholic beverages whereas anorexics would avoid drinking alcohol because of its high calorie content. Du Plooy says that drunkorexics use calorie counting to work out how many calories foods and alcoholic drinks contain. They then use this information to steer away from certain foods with a high amount of calories in order to drink alcohol without picking up weight. According to the Huffington Post, of 1 000 students surveyed by the University of Missouri about drunkorexia, the three most common reasons for engaging in this behaviour include “saving money, controlling [...] weight and getting drunk faster”. It was also found that mostly young women at university engage in drunkorexia and that the majority of men that do engage in this behaviour, do so not to control their weight but to save the money they would have spent on food for alcohol instead. Du Plooy argues that students in general may be most at risk when it comes to drunkorexia, as they “typically wish to maintain a slim thin figure while also wishing to engage in binge drinking”. Furthermore, he says that because this kind of behaviour is often seen as part of university culture, it makes all students, including those at Tuks, susceptible to drunkorexia. The Milwaukee School of Engineering reports that because women have more body fat and less dehydrogenase (the enzyme that metabolises alcohol) than men, alcohol flows through the bloodstream in large quantities
7 and remains in the blood longer. Thus, women experience worse effects than men which increases their risk for alcohol poisoning and organ damage because their bodies metabolise alcohol much faster. According to Palme, young women aspire to be sexually attractive. He says that drunkorexic behaviour is a dangerous and unhealthy way to be slim and fit as excessive dieting and alcohol abuse can result in brain damage, Korsakoff’s psychosis (a neurological disorder caused by a lack of vitamin B1) and loss of memory. When Perdeby spoke to nurses Winnie Sekhukhune and Nonky Letsae from Student Health Services, they said that although drunkorexia is still in its “baby years”, it is a rising problem among students. Sekhukhune and Letsae mentioned that they had two reported cases of drunkorexia in March this year, where students collapsed on campus and confessed to have engaged in drunkorexic behaviour. According to the nurses, when they asked one of the students why she indulges in this behaviour, she didn’t give a reason but admitted that she has been doing it since high school. Sekhukhune and Letsae say that drunkorexia affects a student’s concentration and causes fatigue. Why aren’t people informed about drunkorexia if some of the earliest drunkorexic behaviours have been reported by publications such as The New York Times in 2008 already? Palme says that “for years this type of behaviour has been observed in the clinical field (outside of university).” However, more research must be done before it can be classified as a medical disorder. Sekhukhune and Letsae agree that drunkorexia is on the increase around the world and that people should learn more about it. They believe it is important for high school learners and university students to be educated on this matter. Pressure from society to be skinny seems to be a trend which isn’t going to disappear anytime soon. With this new phenomenon affecting our youth, it is necessary that we pay more attention to this problem so that we can find a solution sooner rather than later. Photo: Reinhard Nell
New drinking age law: let’s not drink to that CARMI HEYMAN For most students, university life can be directly linked to drinking alcohol – legally, that is. However, if Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has his way, students who are 21 years old or older may be the only ones who are allowed to drink legally. At a recent World Health Organisation meeting in Boksburg, Motsoaledi addressed numerous issues concerning alcohol and said that raising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 is one of a range of measures being considered to reduce the harm caused by alcohol consumption. This means that for a certain percentage of students on campus, places like Oom Gert’s will only be accessible if they drink coke, as a new drinking age will prevent service providers from selling alcohol to “minors”, which would then refer to everyone under 21. Sally Thorp, a director at Life Talk, thinks the new laws won’t have much of an effect unless government looks at the root causes behind alcohol abuse. “As a society, we need to start taking responsibility for our own actions, but too many laws could push drinking underground,” she says. She adds that, at the moment, the legal age limit for drinking is 18, but children as young as ten are drinking and bringing alcohol to school. Thorp’s views are echoed by the Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA). “Raising the legal drinking age to 21 will have no impact on alcohol abuse. We already have 12 and 13-yearolds who drink, so how on earth will raising the legal drinking age affect alcohol abuse?” says ARA director Adrian Botha. According to research done by South African
Breweries, teenagers between the ages of 16 and 21 who use alcohol are three times more likely to be involved in violent crimes and 50 times more likely to use cocaine. The communications manager of the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, Mgwebi Msiya, says that the board doubts that increasing the legal age would have much of an impact on the troubles of alcohol abuse among young adults. “Monitoring this behaviour has always proven very difficult. We strongly believe it is through education that we can change or influence our young people against underage drinking.” Vermont Quarterly writer Ruth Clifford Engs argues in an article called “Forbidden Fruits” that it is important to allow young adults to drink in controlled environments such as restaurants, taverns, pubs and university functions because it promotes mature and
acceptable drinking. However, rebellion could take place if under-21s are banned from drinking. “When they do have the opportunity to drink, they will do so in an irresponsible manner, because drinking by these youth is seen as an enticing forbidden fruit, a badge of rebellion against authority and a symbol of adulthood,” Engs writes. Meanwhile, the Department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape seems to be backing this new proposal. “If increasing the age limit will help solve this problem that is destroying our youth, we as the department are willing to try it out but we also want stricter enforcement [of] the current legal age,” said the department’s spokesperson Gcobani Maswana. According to studies done by South Africans Against Drunk Driving, the chances of becoming addicted to alcohol are higher when
drinking starts at an early age. There is a 40% chance of addiction if drinking is started under the age of 15, a 20% chance if started under 21 and a 10% chance if started over 21 years of age. “When looking at all the statistics concerning alcohol abuse among young adults, it’s understandable as to why the health minister would want to raise the legal age limit. But I still oppose this. I can handle my alcohol,” says 20-year-old second-year drama student, Charlene van der Linde. The legislation, however, has not been tabled yet. “This proposal has been heard before. They said the same thing a few years ago. This isn’t the first time government has talked about raising the legal age of drinking, so we can’t really comment until there is something on paper,” says Western Cape Liquor Authority spokesperson Philip Prinsloo. Most students are opposed to the proposed law change. Jaco Kleinsmith, a 19-year-old first-year law student, voices the opinion supported by what he believes to be the majority of the student population. “Raising the age limit will not stop students from finding ways to drink. We will drink at home or find people to buy alcohol for us. We believe that we are responsible enough to handle it appropriately, so why take this right away from us now?” he says. Riaan Pretorius, a 19-year-old first-year law student, says, “I will always find ways of drinking. I have waited 18 years to do so and I am not going to stop now. Give us the law and we give you the finger.” Photo: Reinhard Nell
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15 April ‘13
Reviews
Entertainment
Indie electro wunderkind all grown up
Not quite a stroke of genius LUSANDA FUTSHANE The world had almost given up on The Strokes. Their debut album Is This It seemed like a flash in the pan when all the albums that came after it didn’t impress as much. The band maintained a small cult following but never really grew its audience. And then, more than a decade after their meteoric rise to fame, The Strokes came back with a fifth release. Has Comedown Machine salvaged whatever was left of this New York outfit’s bruised fame? The short answer is: sort of. The long answer starts with the band’s obstinate sound. Over ten years and four records, there’s been very little growth in The Strokes’ style. Sure, the groovy combination of garage rock with danceable indie beats was what got this band noticed in the first place. However, when that sound isn’t developed enough, what you end up with are five albums that sound almost completely the same. But that’s not to say that Comedown Machine isn’t a good album. It’s a little bit better than good, actually. To someone who hadn’t heard any of The Strokes’s music (and therefore are not biased by their previous hits and misses), Comedown Machine would certainly be impressive. “Tap Out”, the opening track, is just grungy enough to re-establish the band’s raw and messy origins. But just as the chorus kicks in,
you hear a bit of maturity and experience, giving the impression that they knew exactly what they were doing but are perfectly okay with it sounding as if they didn’t. Another gem is “50/50”. Possibly the highlight of the entire album with arena-filling guitar riffs and gruff vocals, “50/50” marks a sort of shift as the feel of the album drastically improves afterwards. “Slow Animals” makes things a little weird for a bit as lead singer Julian Casablancas croons at a higher key than usual, accompanied by a bass line that’s a little too seductive for The Strokes. But “Partners In Crime” and “Happy Ending” quickly bring things back to normal. Kudos also go to Nikolai Fraiture, whose bass guitar skills are impeccable almost throughout the whole record. Comedown Machine was the last album that the band was contractually obligated to produce with their record label RCA. Maybe the band has been bogged down by lack of creative say this entire time and the real The Strokes lurks somewhere in the future along with hopes of a sixth album. If that’s too optimistic of an assumption then fans will just have to hold on to Comedown Machine as the sophomore album that came four albums too late. RATING: 6.5/10
of the divisive EPs he has released in between James Blake and Overgrown. The album isn’t perfect. It’s easy to tell that If you’re one of those people still scoffing and rolling their eyes at the recent popularity of EDM this is only his second album and that he still (electro/dance music: that’s what all the cool kids has a lot of learning to do. This is quite clear on “Take a Fall for Me”, his collaboration with are calling it now) then there’s a possibility that award-winning rapper RZA. The song seems lost the music industry has outpaced you. and awkward in the album, stuck between fiercer Electronic music is turning out to be this tracks “Life Round Here” and “Retrogade”. decade’s punk rock. And at the helm of the Similarly, “DLM” meanders for a painful twoelectronic music movement is an axis of young and-a-half minutes, sounding too experimental musicians who were nobodies five years and a little clumsy in places. ago. One such musician is 24-year-old James However, the album is anchored brilliantly Blake, who has returned with his second album by the Brian Eno-produced “Digital Lion” with Overgrown, which sounds like a murkier and chilling chants and gospel-inspired vocals. Other more adult extension of his self-titled debut songs to look out for include “Voyeur” and “I album. “Retrograde”, the lead single from Overgrown, Am Sold”, both of which are atmospheric and told fans almost everything they needed to know haunted with James Blake lamenting his sorrows in soft and morose croons that can sometimes about the album – that it was going to be epic become desperate high-pitched cries. and emotional. James Blake is no stranger to A week ago, James Blake told The Guardian producing broody and contemplative music, that he doesn’t care if people download his music but on Overgrown he gets a little darker and illegally. Whether he’s being progressive or deeper with scant lyrics and robust, towering simply displaying youthful arrogance is anyone’s arrangements. Even though it has only been guess. But with a record like this, he has plenty two years since his debut album, the amount of development that James Blake’s sound has gone to be arrogant about. through is extraordinary. Here he is a lot more RATING: 9/10 assertive and daring with his musical direction – a self-assured middle finger to all the naysayers LUSANDA FUTSHANE
Image: www.stoneyroads.com
Image: http://userserve-ak.last.fm/
Wiley makes his ascent to the top JOHAN SAAYMAN English rapper and songwriter Wiley (dubbed as the “Godfather of Grime” and Roll Deep founder) has returned with his ninth studio album The Ascent, putting his spin on the grime genre once again. This album features several artists, most of whom are also British. Among those featured are Tulisa, Tinchy Stryder and the LA-based group Far East Movement. Although his vocals aren’t diverse, Wiley chose his entourage astutely to enrich each track in his unique style where verse flows into the chorus effortlessly and the lyrics are bridge free. Wiley wrote all the lyrics with most tracks co-written by various artists. The lyrical content is typical rap: either about how hard his life had been before reaching stardom, failed relationships, or how much of a hardcore party maniac he is. Despite this, the sound is complex and his grime background clearly lays the foundation for this album. His Caribbean background is subtly incorporated into the album to add diversity to the tracks without tainting the overall feel of the album. The tracks contain a greater electronic influence to make it current and fresh without spoiling the authentic Wiley sound. The opening track’s dynamics prepares you for what’s to follow by mixing classical instruments
and electronics with a lyrical tale about his road to fame. The rest of the album is sequenced to generate
an intriguing flow between Wiley’s gruff voice, house tunes, big bass beats and quality dance songs.
One track in particular where his gravelly vocals complement the music is “Ninja”, though it seems wasted as it is a bonus track. “My Heart” (featuring Emeli Sandé and French Montana) is the track with the most prominent house beat on the album and it takes audiences back to the grime veteran’s early days of making garage music in the early 2000s. Three tracks have been released from the album. “Heatwave”, featuring Ms D, was released as the lead single, debuting at number one on the UK Singles Chart in August last year and became his first number one solo ever, selling 114 000 copies in the first week. “Can You Hear Me? (Ayayaya)”, featuring Skepta, JME and Ms D, was released as the second single in October last year, reaching number one on the UK Dance Chart. In February this year, “Reload”, featuring Chip and Ms D, was released, peaking at number nine on the UK Singles Chart. The album was originally released as a 13-track album, but was re-released as a deluxe edition containing three bonus tracks, three music videos and a behind-the-scenes documentary. If the grime scene is your thing, or you’re a Wiley fan, or if you just want to pump a few gangster dance tunes every so often, then this album is a worthy investment. RATING: 7/10
Image: www.josepvinaixa.com/
Entertainment
15 April ‘13
The Hollow Body: “I need to sing songs to remind me, to remind me of everything”
MELINA MELETAKOS There’s a biting chill in the air at Arcade Empire’s acoustic evening. As is starts raining, the few people who were sitting at tables outside flee indoors for cover. Those who were lucky enough to avoid the downpour are talking noisily over beer. The chatter becomes an irritating buzz that competes with Jonathan Velthuysen’s soothing drone as he takes to the small, sparsely lit stage in the corner. The indifferent audience doesn’t seem to bother him as he moves his broad shoulders this way and that, tilting his head back slightly, feeling every note that he effortlessly strums on his guitar. Velthuysen has been having a fiery love affair with the instrument strapped around his shoulder for many years. Flickers of it may have started when he picked up his mom’s old Hofner guitar at the age of 13, but this relationship permanently changed after he came across one guitar in particular while living in Scotland. “It was just a phenomenal guitar,” says a slightly reserved Velthuysen, his admiration for the string instrument still evident. “It made me realise how average I actually was at playing instrumental music and it also inspired me to start singing.” When he returned to South Africa in 2009, Velthuysen did just that. He formed a folk rock band called Stepdog, which released an EP called Amy After Dark in 2010. The band enjoyed a pinch of success but eventually broke up. Velthuysen wanted to go it alone, so he dubbed himself “The Hollow Body” and steered his sound in the bare, unfussy direction of folk music. “I’m not very comfortable with pretending and I find that [folk] is one genre that I can write in, sort of as an idiom,” he says. “I can just be who I am and sing what I want. It’s just easier.” At the same time, Velthuysen also began learning how to build guitars under master luthier JA Tredoux, founder of the
Stellenbosch Guitar Company. It’s an incredibly long process to build a guitar, says Velthuysen. He has spent the last two years learning how to craft the instrument and will more than likely still be an apprentice for the next five years, depending on how quickly he can perfect his skills. “There are a lot of finer things that take a lot of time to get a feel for. When it comes down to it, a lot of it is problem solving because things don’t always turn out the way you want and then you have to improvise. That takes a long time to learn,” explains Velthuysen. The very guitar that he performs with is the first one that he made. Velthuysen had an idea of what he wanted to do but being a novice, he didn’t quite know what he was going to come out with. He says: “It took me a couple of months to come to terms with what I had created. It’s like anything, you gotta get used to it. It’s a very unique guitar and it sounds good.” Velthuysen also used his self-made guitar to record his debut album as The Hollow Body. Johannine is an album which allows his rough, scratchy voice to explore how he has come to terms with several events that have drastically shaped his life. “It’s just a collection of moments of inspiration. And also, some of it is just a painful reflection on it,” he says of the intensely personal nature of his lyrics. The painful reflection Velthuysen is referring to is the death of his father in 2005 and the ending of a serious relationship not long afterwards. Is songwriting a cathartic process for Velthuysen, then? “It’s essential, absolutely essential. That’s why I do it,” he says. “My motivation isn’t that people are going to like it, really. I’m always happy if people do but I just find that I need to do it. I’m not comfortable with not doing it. I tried it.” Velthuysen is speaking of a time when he thought that he would get another job and just play music on the side as a hobby. “I just found it very, very hard to stay balanced. I need to sing songs to remind me, to remind me of everything.” Photos: Hendro van der Merwe
Review
9
The Hollow Body: gravelly voice, guts and guitar MELINA MELETAKOS “You say drinking from my cup feeds your soul/ Fills you up/ If drinking from my cup makes you whole/ Then why did you stop?” croons Cape Town folk musician Jonathan Velthuysen gently on “Holly (You Gotta Wonder)”. His almost puzzled delivery of the last line is moving, as if through his subtle probing, he is trying to make sense of the unexpected end of a relationship. It is piercingly personal lyrics like this that take centre stage on Velthuysen’s debut album Johannine and for his first offering, the man who goes by the name of The Hollow Body has put together a collection of songs that is stripped down of all pretence and treated, instead, with layers of intensely personal reflection. Together with his scratchy, sometimes nasal voice and the sparse musical accompaniment provided by the warm, rollicking strum of his guitar, Velthuysen delivers an album that will more than delicately tickle the fancy of folk lovers. The thing is, Velthuysen’s lyrics aren’t just unabashedly honest. They are delicately crafted words of poetry too and he uses this songwriting process to purge himself of all the things that life has thrown at him. “Hymnal Retreat” is a tender elegy written for Velthuysen’s father who passed away some years ago. The uncluttered intro sees him admitting that he is weighed down by the sorrow that he carries on his shoulders and the misery on his brow and that he doesn’t know if he can move forward. His solution? “And maybe someday/ Through these lullabies/ I’ll see clearly my way back home,” he intones gingerly before the track becomes more jaunty as the pace quickens. On “For Tonight”, Velthuysen’s voice echoes that of The Tallest Man on Earth as he sings about the intoxicating and sometimes dangerous hold that someone can have on you, while on “Don’t Mistake It”, he lowers his voice to a soft, low purr that breaks into an impassioned plea at the climax. Johannine is the kind of album that you want to listen to in a steaming bath with a glass of wine. It’s the kind of album that stops being just a collection of songs as it begs you to engage with it. It’s the kind of album that allows you to mould your own meaning around this phrasing or that guitar growl. In fact, it’s the best kind of album. RATING: 8/10 Photos: Hendro van der Merwe
10
Fun & Games
15 April ‘13
Sudoku
Last week’s solution: Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister, died early last week because of a stroke. After her death, sales for The Wizard of Oz song “Ding dong, the Witch is Dead” landed in the Top 10 of the UK iTunes chart. In light of this, Perdeby has compiled a top ten list of the worst songs that people could play at your funeral. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Pssst... Pssst… is very disappointed with the reses this week, for a number of reasons. Pssst… won’t get to see Lilium’s Serrie performance. Who is Pssst... going to laugh at now that Lilium ran away with their tail between their legs? Pssst... thinks that they should steer away from spying on the other reses’ Serrie practices next time because it only ends in others’ lack of entertainment. Taaibos and Katjiepiering have been getting rather cosy in the Taaibos dining hall. Pssst... hears that the boys and girls have been conspiring against Katjiepiering’s neighbours there. Pssst... doesn’t think that Mopanie and Maroela will be happy when they hear that Taaibos played a hand in destroying their signs. Pssst... thinks Katjiepiering is getting a bit too influenced by their Rag partners. Since when do they hate their neighbours so much? Besides, why is Taaibos trying so hard to be relevant? Pssst... reckons Taaibos must rather focus on their own shortcomings and let Katjiepiering fight their own battles. For example, Taaibos needs to work on their originality. What is Sonop supposed to do now that their sign fetish has been adopted by dogs? Pssst… is worried about Maroela and Erika who are playing dress-up. It doesn’t seem like a very sane thing to do and their attempt at dressing up as gangsters could have been executed better. If you’re going to dress up, do it properly. Maroela better watch out though, or they will only be having socials with Erika in future. Pssst... thought they looked very at home in the boys clubhouse. Pssst… can hear the bells. Pssst… also hears that Madelief forgot how to throw a good party. Since when do two balloons and a volleyball equal a good social, ladies? Pssst... really thinks that Kiaat needs help getting over their stalker habits. The Cubs are still infatuated with the Inca girls and spend their nights watching the girls’ Serrie practice. Then again, maybe Kiaat is trying to steal some of Inca’s moves for their own performance. Pssst... doesn’t see how that will help them. Usually no res can hide from Pssst... but Pssst... has noticed that Sonop has been rather scarce lately, unlike Asterhof. The Asters had their House Week recently and did their best to try and stand out – unfortunately. Does Pssst... have to be the one to tell you girls that no one likes a show-off? And while Pssst... is at it, bragging about how you are going to win Serrie does not actually mean you will win it. It would be best if lips were zipped until the results are announced. Pssst... wouldn’t want you to get embarrassed now, after all, that is, or was, Lilium’s job up until they became quitters.
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Sport
11
15 April ‘13
AmaTuks too hot for AmaZulu ISHMAEL MOHLABE
Bongani Zungu and Mame Niang helped AmaTuks to beat AmaZulu 3-1 in the Premier Soccer League on Saturday 6 April. Zungu scored twice while Niang scored a header to claim his seventh goal of the season after AmaZulu had taken an early lead through Goodman Dlamini. The game was characterised by a couple of missed chances as both teams were aggressive and attacked when they were in possession of the ball, especially in front of the goal, and both goalkeepers made magnificent saves on several occasions. At the five-minute mark, AmaZulu had a goal ruled out due to a foul on AmaTuks’ goalkeeper Washington Arubi. Seven minutes later, Arubi made a mistake which allowed Dlamini to score. His low clearance kick from within the 18-yard box found Dlamini, who reacted quickly to strike the ball straight into an unguarded net to put his team in front. In the 16th minute, AmaTuks put an end to their opposition’s lead when Niang’s header across the goal made contact with Zungu, whose diving header sent AmaZulu goalkeeper Tapiwe Kapini the wrong way, thus levelling the score. Niang forced Kapini into making a save after intercepting a back
pass to shoot from the edge in the 34th minute. Seven minutes before the interval, a square pass from Aubrey Ngoma connected with Niang’s right boot and forced Kapini to make another save. In the first minute of the second half, Arubi produced an excellent save to stop a header from Thokozani Mshengu after a clearance from Siyabonga Shoyisa hit the upright. Steve Barker made his first substitution after 55 minutes by introducing Diphetogo “Dipsy” Selolwane in place of Lionel Mutizwa. The combination of Niang and Selolwane brought some pace into the game. In the 63rd minute, Niang scored a header after a free kick to put AmaTuks 2-1 ahead. AmaZulu almost equalised after Dlamini got past the defenders but his shot from the 18-yard box sailed over the crossbar in the 64th minute. Zungu, who produced a Man-of-the-Match performance, stole the show as he completed his brace by heading home a cross from Charly Mousonno on the 77-minute mark. In the 83rd minute, Stanley Kgatla failed to score a second goal for AmaZulu. The 3-1 result pushed AmaTuks to the ninth position on the PSL log with 31 points, while AmaZulu stayed at number 13 with 25 points. Photo: Gallo Images
Pink Campaign raises more than R300 000 PHILIP STOFBERG
For the duration of the nine-week FNB Varsity Cup rugby tournament, the Varsity Cup Pink Campaign aimed to raise funds and awareness against women abuse. The charity has been running for three years and the University of Pretoria has contributed the largest amount of money donated for each year. In an effort to defend this title, UP urged residences to participate in the campaign this year. When Perdeby enquired about this, it was revealed that some residences weren’t aware of this initiative. “[TuksRugby] didn’t contact or approach us in the matter”, said
Madelief Primaria Natasha Swanepoel when asked whether their residence took part in raising funds. “This is the first I am hearing about [the fundraising]” was the response from Boekenhout chairperson Marco Koch. In an interview with Perdeby, TuksRugby’s Neels Grobler, who is in charge of the Pink Campaign, said, “We only have access to talk to the Sport HK from the residences.” Grobler added that most Sport HKs attended a meeting where TuksRugby told them about the Varsity Cup Pink Campaign and the initiative to involve the residences. Even without all residences participating in fundraising, UP again
managed to raise more money than the other universities that took part in the Pink Campaign. UP sponsored Mercy House, a transitional house for women who have been abused, and raised around R85 000 for their needs. The money raised for the house will be used to buy much-needed products and fund activities for the women to participate in. This year R302 800 was raised through the different aspects of the Varsity Cup Pink Campaign to help women in distress all over South Africa.
Perdeby’s Daily Roundup
Get your local and international news, entertainment and sport updates at perdeby.co.za. Perdeby’s Daily Roundup will be published again after the break at around 19:00 on weekdays. Illustration: Modeste Goutondji
5km Fun Run/Walk 10km Fun Run/Walk 1km Wheelchair Race Kiddies Fun Race
ANY ENQUIRIES:
Anuschka French 0734419492 e-mail: anuschkafrench@gmail.com For more information: www.otfunrun.weebly.com
WHEN:
Food stalls
4 May 2013 6:00am – 10:30am
Prize for the best dressed. Theme: GO GREEN Prizes for winners in each race Secure parking
WHERE: LC
Music Kiddies corner with supervision and fun activities
de Villiers Sport Grounds
RACE INFORMATION 10km Run/Walk 5km Run/Walk 1km Wheelchair Race Kiddies Fun Race
All ages
R45
Starts: 7:00am
Entries: 6:00am-6:30am
Adults scholar u/5 All ages
R35 R15 Free Free
Starts: 7:15am
Entries: 6:00am-6:30am
Starts: 9:00am
Entries: 7:30am-8:30am
12 and under
Free
Starts: 8:30am
Entries: 6:00am-8:00am
RULES
Open to all Marshals and race officials are to be obeyed at all times All participants take part at their own risk and by their entry, indemnify the organizers and sponsors of any liability or claims Prize winners must be present at the prize giving Entries at LC de Villiers on Saturday 4 May from 6:00am onwards
ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO: TOIBO (TRANSORANJE INSTITUUT VIR BUITENGEWONE ONDERWYS) www.toibo.org.za
Hoofpyn? Spec-Savers Hatfield Shop 29, Hatfield plaza Burnette Street Hatfield 0123622887
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Tuks win Varsity Cup again
DAN LOMBARD FNB UP-Tuks beat FNB Maties 44-5 at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch last Monday to win Tuks’ second Varsity Cup trophy in a row. The 39-point victory broke the Varsity Cup record as the highest points difference in a final. By winning the final, Tuks handed Maties their first loss of the season. They outscored the home side five tries to one. Tuks went into the final having lost three matches in this season’s Varsity Cup, including an 18-16 loss to Maties in Pretoria. Both sides played at a frantic pace during the opening stages of the game. Maties started off as the stronger team, but some strong defence from Tuks prevented them from scoring. The game’s first points came after 15 minutes when Tuks scrum-half Danie Faasen went over the try line. Faasen’s try came courtesy of sustained pressure from the strong Tuks forward pack. Fly-half Willie du Plessis scored a try shortly afterwards as Tuks continued putting pressure on Maties. Centre Handre Pollard successfully converted both tries. Maties struggled in the lineouts and could not get forward momentum. A failed Maties lineout almost gave Tuks wing Vainon Willis a try but good defence from Maties forced him into touch. Soon afterwards, Tuks captain Jono Ross spun out of a tackle to score close to the poles. Pollard converted the try to allow Tuks to go into the break with a 24-0 lead.
Fancam captures Varsity Cup victory MARGEAUX ERASMUS
Students who were at the Varsity Cup final at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch last week Monday can tag themselves in a 20 000 megapixel image captured at the game. The Fancam is available at varsitycup.co.za/ fancam and students who were at the event can go tag themselves and share the image with their friends on social media. Students can also tag their team logos to show who they were supporting at the game. Varsity Cup and Fancam, a Cape Town-based company, felt that the Varsity Cup community would fit in well with the Fancam product. Surike Viviers, who is part of Fancam’s business development, said that it is the type of community that is very active on social media and is passionate about the sport. The Fancam image can be shared on Facebook, Twitter or via email. Viviers told Perdeby that Fancam will be available on the internet for a minimum of three years, so there is no specific cut-off date for
students to tag themselves. Fancam CEO Tinus le Roux said that “99% of our Fancams are created for international teams and bands, which is why we were very excited at the opportunity to capture one in our
“We hope the Tukkies fans enjoy it as a momento of a well-deserved victory...” own backyard. The fact that the Danie Craven Stadium is such a historic and beautiful venue with colourful and engaged fans made it so much easier to create something that’s worth looking at. We hope the Tukkies fans enjoy it as a momento of a well-deserved victory and the Maties fans as a consolation that they study in a beautiful place.”
Bodo Sieber from PlasticSoldiers, the company in charge of Varsity Cup’s online channels said that “the Fancam has made some nice waves for us in our social media channels following the final” and added that “it was great how seamlessly Fancam could be integrated into the Varsity Cup online communication, definitely an exciting feature.” Fancam is a proudly South African company and was the first in the world to create a 360-degree interactive gigapixel platform. The Fancam is built around a composite image which is captured a few minutes before an event from the centre of the area. Once the photographer has captured the different images they are transferred to the production office where the images are “stitched” together by a specialised production team. They use custombuilt computers to create the Fancam and then deliver the product to their clients within 24 hours. Fancam allows fans to zoom in to the back of the stadium and to tag themselves in the highresolution image.
Tuks continued applying pressure on Maties after the start of the second half. The Tuks players efficiently used quick ruck balls to enable them to play running rugby. Wing Courtnall Skosan forced his way over the try line to score Tuks’ fourth try. Pollard added the conversion to extend the lead to 32-0. Maties managed to reduce the deficit when wing Clearance Khumalo scored in the corner after a sustained period of possession from Maties. Fly-half JH Potgieter failed to convert the try. Maties defended well in the final 20 minutes of the game to limit Tuks’ try-scoring opportunities. Pollard was able to convert a penalty in the 59th minute. Tuks full-back Clayton Blommetjies was successful with his drop goal attempt after a fumbled pass. The drop goal increased the lead to 36-5 with nine minutes to play. In the final minutes of the match, Willis intercepted a wayward Maties pass to score untouched under the poles. Pollard added to his 100% kicking record when he converted Tuks’ fifth try. Head coach Nollis Marais told Perdeby that he is proud of his team. “Consistency was something we lacked during the season but the boys pulled through in the play-offs. I’m proud of the character shown by the players,” he said. Photos: Gallo Images
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